It takes a talented young cricketer to win batting and bowling averages in the same season, but Bundoora Park’s Daniel Doddato did just that.
Doddato won the North Metro Cricket Association’s under 15 batting average and the club’s bowling average in the Second XI.
He also played six games for Preston in the Victorian Sub-District Association’s under 15 representative competition. All at the age of 15.
Doddato played 24 games of cricket during the summer, most days racing from a junior match in the morning to a senior game in the afternoon.
He made 296 runs at an average of 98.67 in the juniors, retiring not out after reaching his half-century three times.
He also took seven wickets at 7.29.
In the seniors, he sent down 104 overs – more than any other player in his team – took 28 wickets at 11.82 with his pace bowling, and added 159 runs with the bat.
‘‘It was a good season,’’ Doddato says.
His junior team went through the season undefeated, winning its second consecutive premiership.
‘‘The celebrations were pretty good, everyone was excited but we couldn’t really celebrate too much because some of us had a seniors game to go to,’’ he says.
‘‘I had an hour, or an hour and a half, to celebrate.
‘‘Everyone put in when they needed to, it hasn’t just been one or two players, every week someone different did something to win the game.’’ Doddato says playing seniors has helped his skills.
‘‘Seconds is more challenging,’’ he says.
‘‘Coming back from that to play under 15s you can really tell the difference.
There’s no easy person to hit when you’re batting in the seniors.’’ Doddato hopes to get into the First XI at Bundoora Park next season before being picked up by a Sub- District or Premier Cricket club.
His father, Vito, also plays for Bundoora Park, as does his older brother Kristian.
Vito plays in the First XI and was part of the team which went down to Heidelberg West in the Quick Shield grand final in March.
He took 21 wickets at 22.43 this season to be one of the team’s four bowlers to take 20 wickets.
He has played with Kristian but not Daniel … yet.
‘‘Hopefully we get to play together next season but he might take my spot,’’ Vito laughs.
‘‘He had a pretty good season overall playing in the juniors and seniors, he was pretty economical with the ball.’’
